Increasing the presence of Vietnamese goods in Belgium-based distribution chains

The 240 items and the plan to add an additional 30 products to the shelves in the near future partially address concerns about when Vietnamese products will dominate the Asian section in the distribution chains of the Vietnamese Trade Offices in Europe.

This initial success is attributed to the strength of the connectivity among Vietnamese businesses and organization, and the dedication and sincere affection for Vietnamese products.

In an effort to bring Vietnamese goods to distribution chains in Belgium, as directed by the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade and the Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium, we received enthusiastic support from Nguyen Thi Minh Lien, Director of the Vietnam Export Company (VINAMEX) in Belgium, which specializes in importing and supplying Vietnamese agricultural products in Belgium. With a strong desire to increase the presence of Vietnamese goods in Belgium, she willingly shared her contacts and connections with the Trade Office, enthusiastically linking the office with various supermarket chains in Belgium.

Thanks to Lien’s support, the Vietnamese Trade Office in Belgium has approached several major supermarket owners such as Carrefour, Grand Épicerie, and Spar, beginning the journey of introducing Vietnamese agricultural products to consumers in Belgium.

However, the range of Vietnamese agricultural products imported into Belgium remains poor. Therefore, ensuring a diverse range of products and stable supply of goods are concerning the Trade Office. Persuading Belgian importers to bring in more Vietnamese goods and or finding additional importers are solutions.

Minister Nguyen Hong Dien said at the meeting of Vietnamese trade counselors in Europe in July 2024, Rome, Italy that collaboration to leverage collective strength and to promote the role of Vietnamese businesses in foreign countries is a key solution for the Vietnamese Trade Offices to help increase the presence of Vietnamese goods in Europe. The Vietnam Trade Offices in Belgium, the Netherlands and France agreed that Vietnamese goods could be brought from the Netherlands to Belgium, and the Vietnamese Trade Offices in Belgium and the Netherlands worked together to make Vietnamese products reach Belgium-based distribution networks. The Vietnamese Trade Office in the Netherlands looked for appropriate Vietnamese businesses that could import and distribute Vietnamese goods, while the Vietnamese Trade Office in Belgium was working hard to persuade partners to incorporate Vietnamese goods into their distribution chains.

The first meeting between two supermarkets and three distributors of Vietnamese goods, although minimal in quantity, laid the foundation for Vietnamese businesses to introduce products into the supermarket chains.

On the morning of October 25, Bernard Weiss, owner of the Carrefour supermarket chain in central Brussels, shared with the Vietnamese Trade Office in Belgium, “Although we love Vietnamese products, we need time to prepare, and we are delighted that everything is now ready. We are very satisfied with the products from Vietnam. Vietnamese goods will definitely succeed.”

Pham Van Hien, General Director of LTP, stated, “The introduction of goods into Carrefour is an initial success. The company will strive to expand the presence of Vietnamese products across supermarkets in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg with the support of the Vietnamese Trade Office and Representative Offices in Belgium and the Netherlands.”

This story of sincere affection for Vietnam and the strong connection among the Vietnamese community has led to the inclusion of daily Vietnamese products such as fish sauce, rice paper, noodles, instant noodles, coconut water, candies, and Vietnamese rice into various distribution chains.